MEDJUGORJE – the Beginning of the End?

STEVE RAY HERE: I am allowing this comment to post though I myself do not accept the authenticity of Medjugorje but want an open forum here.

What I am hearing in this video is sad. I have been to Medjugorje, and can personally vouch for it as a place where the peace of God that is beyond all understanding is realized. It literally feels like heaven on earth. You can tell is something is good by its fruit. Mejugorje has produced much fruit. I have a friend whose rosary changed color there, and I myself smelled roses where there were no rose bushes. Many such occurrences have taken place. Many people have gone to confession who haven't gone in decades and many men have become priests as a direct result of what they encountered at Medjugorje.

On April 5, 2017. Archbishop Henryk Hoser, Special Envoy to Medjugorje, gave a long press conference in Medjugorje. His remarks were candid, generous, and full of love. He revealed an open heart to the events of Medjugorje and spoke with great candidness about what Medjugorje shows us. Here are his opening words at the conference:

"With respect to me and my impressions, I can say that there was a time when Medjugorje was not known in the world. It was a little place lost between two hills. That is the meaning of the name, Medjugorje. Today Medjugorje is known in the whole world. And we should know that pilgrims are coming from about 80 countries from all over the world.

When it comes to the meaning of this place, we can compare it with other places, if we say that per year there are about 2 ½ million pilgrims coming here. In Lourdes there are about 6 million people who come, but Lourdes exists for more than 150 years. Medjugorje is only about 36 years old. It is time to make a first estimate, and it is important for the future growing of this place.

Why do so many people come here? On one hand, surely they have heard of the apparitions that took place for the first time in 1981. On the other hand, those who are coming here are discovering something extraordinary. The first thing is the atmosphere, it is the atmosphere of peace and reconciliation. It is an atmosphere of inner peace, of peace of the heart. Also what they discover is a huge space for profound religion and spirituality. They discover or rediscover what it means in their lives to have something sacred, something holy. In Medjugorje they encounter sacred time and sacred space. That sacredness means something that is reserved for something divine.

Usually it is said that Medjugorje is a place where we honor Our Lady, and that is the truth. But if we look at it in a deeper way, we see that it is actually Christocentric, completely turned towards Christ. Christ-life! Worshiping. For instance, at the center is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, the transmission of the Word of God, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament where one discovers the real presence of Jesus Christ in His divinity and in His humanity. Some also discover the prayer of the Rosary, that is meditative prayer on the mysteries of our faith. And when they pray the Way of the Cross, they enter into the Paschal mystery which is the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I would like to conclude with the reality of Holy Confession, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the personal and the personalized sacrament. From the religious perspective, Medjugorje is very fertile ground. "

Padre Pio was put to the test by the church and was then declared Saint ! I do believe in medjugorje apparitions however I am ready to hear and obey the church final decision. I think that people who never went to medjugorje have a bad idea on what it really is I am 23 and I personnly know an ex atheist who converted there , a muslim who became christian, a man who converted and was healed , a man who became a priest due to medjugorje ect… But of course we have yo obey the church final decision God bless